Abstract
Australia has a very high rate of dog ownership, which in some circumstances may lead to exposure to zoonotic parasitic diseases from those companion animals. Domestic dog faecal samples (n = 300) were collected from public spaces and private property in the greater Rockhampton (Central Queensland) region and tested for intestinal helminths and protozoa by direct microscopy, two flotation methods and a modified acid-fast stain for cryptosporidia. Intestinal parasites detected included hookworms (25%), Cystoisospora ohioensis complex (9%), Blastocystis hominis (3%), Giardia duodenalis (3%), Spirometra erinacei (1%) and Toxocara canis (1%), Sarcocystis spp. (2%), Cryptosporidium spp. (2%) and Cystoisospora canis (1%). One infection each with Trichuris vulpis, Dipylidium caninum and a protozoa belonging to the Entamoeba histolytica complex were identified. Sheather’s sucrose centrifugal flotation was more sensitive than saturated salt passive flotation, but no single test detected all cases of parasitic infection identified. The test methodologies employed are poor at recovering larva of Strongyloides stercoralis, Aleurostrongylus abstrussis and eggs of cestodes such as Echinococcus granulosis, so the potential presence of these parasites in Central Queensland domestic dogs cannot be excluded by this survey alone.
Highlights
Australia has one of the highest rates of pet ownership in the world, with 63% of households owning a pet
This sample size allowed determination with 95% confidence that the prevalence of any intestinal parasite not found in our sample is at
The C. ohioensis complex was the most common protozoan parasite of domestic dogs, found in 9% of samples, while G. duodenalis and B. hominis were found in 3% of samples
Summary
Australia has one of the highest rates of pet ownership in the world, with 63% of households owning a pet. It is estimated that there are 4.2 million pet dogs in Australia, correlating to 19 dogs for every 100 people [1]. The level of pet care in Australia is high, with strict legislations in place to ensure responsible pet ownership. Several broad surveys of domestic dog parasites have been conducted in Australia, but only one since the turn of the century. This national survey did not publish the data collected by state or climatic region [2]. No survey of all intestinal parasites of domestic dogs in an urban tropical Australia has been published until now
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